1990 Annual Report

PERSOAWNNEL SECTION

The Personnel Section encouraged PMA to join the movement that led Congress to repeal
Section 89 of the Internal Revenue Code. That law, which was intended to broaden health-care coverage
in the workplace, proved to be much more burdensome than beneficial.
The Section continued to pursue its efforts to determine what PMA can do to help to improve
the teaching of math and science. Present indications are that, within the next decade,
pharmaceutical companies will find it increasingly difficult to hire enough scientifically
qualified personnel to meet their needs.
At its Annual Meeting in February, the Section considered the human-resource
implications of the globalization of the pharmaceutical marketplace.
The Section is composed of top human-resources executives.

1990-91 CHAIRMAN
O. Ralph Edwards, Jr.
Abbott Laboratories

PMA STAFF LIAISON
James W. Singer
Legislative Counsel

PMA BOARD LIAISON
Melvin R. Goodes

PMA COMMISSION ON DRUGS FOR RARE DISEASES

COMMISSION CHAIRMAN
George S. Goldstein, M.D.
Sterling Drug, Inc.

The PMA Commission on Drugs for Rare Diseases participated in the deliberations of the
National Commission on Orphan Diseases, which was created by Congress in 1985 and issued a report
to Congress on orphan-drug development in early 1989. The PMA Commission also co-sponsored a national conference on rare diseases and orphan products with the National Institutes of Health in May
1990. PMAs most recent annual orphan-drug survey in 1989 found that 133 products were being developed
to treat 96 rare diseases.
The Commission was created by the Board of Directors in 1981 to facilitate
the development of orphan drugs through the collection and dissemination of information on the research and development of drugs and devices for the prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.
Microbiologists, biochemists, chemists, molecular biologists, virologists, pharmacologists, veterinarians and regulatory affairs experts are members of the Commission.
STAFF LIAISON
Thomas L. Copmann, Ph.D.
Executive Director

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